Lord Jakobovits Prize

The Harav Lord Jakobovits Prize of European Jewry was established by the President of the CER in 2011 to be awarded to personalities, who have shown support to European Jewry, defended their religious rights and combatted anti-Semitism. The prize is usually awarded in a festive ceremony in the Great Synagogue of Europe in Brussels in the presence of the leadership of the European Union and the Jewish leadership of Europe. Lord Immanuel Jakobovits, after whom the award is named, was a former President of the Conference of European Rabbis and Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth. Lord Jakobovits dedicated his life to the pursuit of a philosophy which advocated religious commitment with unyielding love and consideration for his fellow man. The ability to bring communities together and recognize the value of faith in a modernizing world is one that he treasured throughout his life and it is that character trait, above all others, which this award recognizes. This year’s prize was designed by Georgy V. Frangulyan and depicts an open safer torah lying on top of three closed sifrei torah. Frangulyan is a world renowned artist whose most notable works include the monument on Boris Yeltsin’s grave at the Novedecichy cemetery in Moscow, the monument to Okudshava on Arbat Street in Moscow and the statue of Empress Elizabeth in Baltiysk.